In Johansson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,875 issued Apr. 3, 1990 and entitled Swirl Vanes Integral with Spacer Grid, I disclosed (with co-inventor Louis C. Bulger) a spacer matrix in which the swirl vanes had the simultaneous function of providing centrifugal steam water separation as well as maintaining the spaced apart relationship of the fuel rods.
Over this design, there remains a need to add swirl vanes to conventional Inconel spacers. Accordingly, in what follows, I teach a spacer modification where swirl vanes can be easily added to conventional Inconel spacer matrices.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,221 entitled Composite Spacer with Inconel Grid and Zircaloy Band, an example of a typical grid to which the swirl vane of this invention can be added is set forth at FIGS. 1C and 2B. Accordingly, for the disclosures of these Inconel spacer grids, that Johansson et al. Patent Application is incorporated to this disclosure by reference.